


Into my Arms

by charlieflor



Series: Sambucky Bingo 2021 [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (TV)
Genre: Awesome Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes Has Nightmares, Bucky Barnes Has PTSD, Cuddling, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Late Night Conversations, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Sharing a Bed, boyfriend actually, sambucky - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-24 12:48:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30072501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charlieflor/pseuds/charlieflor
Summary: “See?” Sam said gently, still holding the man. “You don’t have to be alone all the time. I’m here.”
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson
Series: Sambucky Bingo 2021 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2211048
Kudos: 122





	Into my Arms

**Author's Note:**

> this fills the "Hurt/Comfort" square in my Sambucky bingo  
> Enjoy the reading!

Sam knows that Bucky is having nightmares. Of course the man would never admit that, but he _knows_ it.

He makes weird noises in his sleep. He would wake up past midnight and stay the rest of the night with the lights on. He would spend the whole night up, sitting at the kitchen table with both eyes wide open. He would cry, blare, scream alone in the bedroom. Sam tried to help once, when he heard Bucky’s shouts and thought someone was trying to kill him or something, but the man reassured him that it was nothing and that he could go back to sleep peacefully.

That night was one of those nights. They had just come back from a mission, both were tired as hell. Sam noticed that some of the stuff those bad guys said did things to Buck, like brought back some unpleasant memories to the former assassin’s mind or something. He definitely did not look well. 

The Captain worried about his friend. He may look all tough and hardy, with that metal arm and that intimidating stare, but the man knew that he wasn’t that strong deep inside. I mean, after all the soldier went through – getting abused, tortured, brainwashed – it’s impossible to remain all that resilient the whole time. Bucky was _clearly_ not okay, and the therapy sessions didn’t seem to be helping him.

“Hey, are you...” Sam said, as soon as they arrived home. Bucky was heading to the bathroom. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” The soldier said, kinda absent-minded. Of course he wasn’t okay, it was visible, but he didn’t want to bother Sam with what he judged to be ‘personal drama’. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

Sam glared at him.

“Are you sure?” He said. “Listen, anything you need: I’m right here, okay? I’m your friend and I’m right here, and you don’t have to be afraid or ashamed of asking help from a friend, okay?”

“Hey, Sam,” Buck said, with a tired smile. “Thank you, but you don’t have to worry. I can handle this alone.”

He turned around and entered the bathroom. Sam sighed. Of course he was not okay. Actually, later in that same night, when the whole city was already asleep and muffed loud cries came from Bucky’s room, it was _very clear_ that he was not okay.

Sam got up from the bed. He went out his door, crossed the hallway and knocked at his friend’s door. No one answered, and the cries were still there. He opened the door to see a close-eyed Bucky lying on the bed, struggling and wrestling the bedsheets. The man was sweating, he looked truly terrified, and Sam felt so bad for him. Bucky was such an amazing person, he didn’t deserve all the trauma that those little shits gave him.

“Hey. Hey, Buck!” He said, running to the man and shaking him gently, being very careful not to scare him even more. He abruptly opened his eyes. “Hey, Buck, it’s okay. It’s okay, I’m right here. You’re safe.”

Sam sat on the bed and held Bucky. The soldier was still shaking, now with his eyes wide open and fixated in something far far away, and his breath completely erratic. Sam calmed him down, holding him in his arms, sometimes whispering “you’re safe” and “it’s okay” to him.

They stayed like this for a long time, until Bucky stopped crying and shivering and started breathing normally. The Captain probably had to wake up early tomorrow, and he probably would miss this lost night of sleep, but it didn’t matter. How many nights the soldier had lost worrying about nightmares? If this would help Buck, Sam didn’t care about something as trivial as only one night of good sleep.

“See?” Sam said gently, still holding the man. “You don’t have to be alone all the time. I’m here.”

Buck stared at him.

“Can you stay?” He asked, softly. “For this night. I’m not sure if I can sleep alone very well.”

“Of course, sweetheart.” The other man replied, placing a soft kiss on the soldier’s head. He blushed; the kiss and the ‘sweetheart’ made his heart turn into butterflies and beat a little faster. The sergeant rearranged them both on the bed a bit, so that he was against Bucky’s back and with an arm around his waist, cuddling him. Like, Sam is big spoon and Buck is little spoon.

“Do you want to talk about it or something?” Sam asked after a few moments of silence, and Buck took a deep breath before spilling it all out.

They spent almost two hours talking; not only about Bucky’s trauma but also about his past, his life before the fall. They also talked about Sam’s life; his family, the army, Riley, and so much more. Like this, wrapped around each other, only imagining the other’s expressions.

The soldier’s most common nightmares were easy to resume: blood, red flashes, fight, pain. Guns, knives, punches, cuts. Screams. _Pain_.

Sam made sure to always remind Bucky that he was safe now, that these horrible memories were really only memories. 

“Sam?” Bucky muttered. 

“Hmm?” Sam mumbled, sleepy.

He took a deep breath.

“Thank you.” He said lowly.

Sam opened his eyes.

“You know,” Bucky continued. “I didn’t want to ask you for help because I didn’t want to worry you. But, Sam, you’re so good. You’re such a good friend, a good person, you really care about others. I-“ He stopped.

“You...?” Sam said. Buck suspired.

“ _I like you_.” He confessed. The Captain raised his eyebrows.

“Oh, Bucky, honey, I wasn’t expecting a love confession this late at night,” Sam laughed.

“Oh shut up, you asshole!” Bucky chuckled. He could feel Sam’s smile pressed against the back of his shoulders. He spent a reasonable time waiting for him to say something.

“I like you too, y’know.” Sam declared. Bucky smirked and turned back lightly to look at the man’s face. “I mean, you’re still the most irritating cyborg ever, but you’re nice. Sometimes. I think.”

“Shut up, you know you love me,” The soldier giggled.  
Sam smiled.

“Yeah, I do.”

**Author's Note:**

> this took me several hours but it's still shit ughhh  
> have y'all seen the final trailer to TFATWS?? because it's fucking PERFECT i am SO EXCITED!! although I highly doubt it was really the last trailer jshdifhifs  
> if you liked this, please leave your kudos and your comments!
> 
> (the title was stolen from a Nick Cave song)


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